Eyeglass construction



Oct. 3, 1944. NERNEY 2,359,666

EYEGLASS CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 5, 1943 I INVENTORS 6mm: .6. A s/P/vfr.

Patented Oct. 3, 1944 EYEGLASS CONSTRUCTION George E. Nemey, Attleboro, Mass, assignor to Bay State Optical Company, Attleboro, Mass., a corporation of Maine Application January 5, 1943, Serial No. 471,379-

3 Claims.

This invention relates to eyeglass construction and more particularly to the lens connecting portions thereof.

One of the objects of this construction is to provide a new and improved eyeglass construction. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which is simple, practical, and thoroughly durable in use. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which is neat and attractive in appearance and, at the same time, adapted to absorb the strains of extended usage. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character the assembly of which may be easily and quickly accomplished. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which will be especially strong in certain vulnerable spots of common eyeglass construction. Still another object is to provide a construction of the above character wherein the individual parts, as well as their particular construction, are so designed as to reduce expenditure of materials or the like. A further object is to provide a construction of the above character in which there is a snug fit between the lenses and the parts connected thereto.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a lens having my endpiece and bridge connections mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the endpiece connection shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 33 of Figure 1 prior to the assembly of the lens and the frame;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 after the assembly of the lens and the frame; and,

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view. on an enlarged scale, of the endpiece connections shown in Figure 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features of this invention, it might here be thereto.

pointed out that certain difficulties are encountered in making a secure and durable connection between the mountings and lenses in frame of the fragile rimless type. Frames of this type-are characterized by having lens connecting means on the ends of the temples and at the opposite ends of the bridge, and the retailer fits these mountings to the lenses prescribed for the customer. Very often these lenses are tone in shape, and to fit many of the present type of saddles to such lenses, considerable bending of the saddle by the retailer is required. Because of the smallness of the parts, a perfect fit between the lens and -the saddle is seldom achieved, and it i well 'known that many fractures of lenses in rimless frames are caused when strains are placed upon imperfectly mounted saddles. These fractures may be caused by the loosening 'of the saddles which 'permits the lens screw to exert a jacking action on the lens hole as it is twisted sideways therein, or the saddle may exert undue strain against certain points on the lens faces due to the fact that the straps do not properly fit the lens faces. In the latter case, strains upon the saddle are transmitted to the lens at single points rather'than being spread evenly over the portion of the lens face covered by the saddle, which results in the lens fracture. Accordingly, it is another object of this invention to overcome the above-mentioned difliculties, as well as many others.

It might here be noted that reference hereinafter to an outward direction signifies a direction to the left or right of the bridge of an eyeglass frame in the direction of the temples, while the term inward denotes a direction opposite A rearward direction refers to a direction toward the face of the wearer, whereas the term forward denotes the opposite direc tion. An upward direction refers to a direction upwardly from the face of the wearer, while a downward direction is opposite thereto.

Referring now to Figure 1, a portion of a pair of rimless spectacles is shown which includes a bridge generally indicated at H], a lens ll, an endpiece generally indicated :at l2, and a pair of saddles generally indicated at l3 and M. As saddles l3 and M and the parts of the mountings to which they are connected are substantially similar in construction, the description will be limited to saddle M and its connection to endpiece l2.

As best shown inFigures 2, 3, and '5, saddle l4, which is preferably made from thin resilient sheet metal, includes a leaf spring section l5 and a pair of ears generally indicated at 16 and H. Leaf spring section l extends upwardly and downwardly along, and abuts against, the lens edge I8. Ears l6 and H, which are integrally connected to leaf spring section l5, extend inwardly over opposite faces of lens (Figures 3 and 4), and their inner end portions |6a and I'm are preferably enlarged (Figure 5) and cup-shaped. Enlarged end portion Ila has a hole l9 extending therethrough, the diameter of which is preferably sli-ghtly larger than the diameter of lens screw 2|], and enlarged portion IBa of ear I'B has an oval-shaped hole 2| therein, the length and width of which are, respectively, substantially and slightly greater than the diameter of the shank of lens screw 20.

Endpiece |2 (Figures 3 and 4), which is pivotally connected to temple 22 by screw 23, includes an arm portion 24 which extends inwardly adjusted to correctly fit the edge of the lens which is being mounted on the saddle.

Referring to Figure 1, the bridge El and its related parts, such as nosepad 36, which may be of any desired construction, providing that no portion of the bridge blocks or interferes with the free movement and adjustability of the leaf spring section of saddle l3, include an arm (not shown) extending over the rear face of the lens similar to the arm 24 of endpiece l2 and connected to the rear ear of saddle I3 by a connection similar to the connection between ear I"! and arm 24. Thus, the mounting disclosed is suitable for use'in connecting either the bridge or endpieces of a rimless frame to the lenses. Furthermore, when the mounting has been secured substantiallyparallel to the face of lens U ad jacent ear Arm 24 is of substantially the same length as ear l1, and its enlarged inner end, which (Figure 5) is positioned adjacent the enlarged portion Ila of ear I! when the saddle and arm are in assembled relationship, has a threaded hole 30 extending therethrough. This hole, which carries threads complementary to the threaded portion of lens screw 20, is in alignment with hole I!) extending through ear IT. The arm 24 is connected to ear IT by a pin 25. This pin is connected to the rear face of ear ll (Figure 5) in any suitable manner, such as by soldering, and extends through a hole 26 in arm 24. This pin 25 is secured to arm 24 in any suitable manner, such as by having its end headed over in a countersunk portion at the rear end of hole 26 (Figures 3 and 4).

As best shown in Figure 3 in which the as-,

sembled endpiece and saddle mounting are shown, prior to the connection of the lens thereto, pin 25 is positioned adjacent the outer end of ear ll near its point of connection to leaf spring section I5. This permits the enlarged portion Ila of ear H, which is cup-shaped, freedom of movement with respect to the arm 24 and lens I I when the lens is being mounted on the saddle. Thus, referring to Figure 4, because of this freedom of movement, ear I! acts as an independent cushioning means between arm 24 and lens I I when screw is in a set position, ear I! having adjusted itself to the curvature of lens H to form a snu fit therewith as the screw is set.

Oval-shaped hole 2| in ear |6 coacts with lens screw 20 as the lens screw is set to insure a snug fit between the lens and this car. Referring to Figure 3, car I6 is curved forwardly from the lens face, and thus, as screw 2|] draws this ear toward the lens face, the oval-shaped hole 2| in ear l6 permits the outer portion of ear I6 to move inwardly with respect to the lens face until the ear I6 has adjusted itself to fit the curvature of the lens face. Because of the shape of hole 2|, this movement of ear I6 is permitted, as the edge of the hole in the ear doesnot strike against screw 20. When the screw is set, the ears exert a resilient force against the head of screw 20 which is of material aid in preventing the screw from loosening.

Thus, because of the manner of attachment of saddle M to arm 24, both resilient ears of the saddle are free to adjust themselves to the curvature of the lens faces as the lens screw 2!) is set, thus insuring a snug fit between the saddle and the lens. Furthermore, the leaf spring section of the saddle is so positioned that it may be easily to the lenses, a snug fit is obtained between the lens and the ears of the saddle, and the leaf spring section of the saddle resiliently resists movement of the lens upwardly and downwardly out of the position in which it normally lies.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a thor oughly practical and efficient construction in which the several objects mentioned hereinabove, as well as many'others, are successfully accomplished.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention, and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In eyeglass construction, in combination, an endpiece including an arm member, said arm member having a threaded hole formed therein adjacent its. inner end, a saddle member, said saddle member including a leaf spring section and a pair of ears integrally formed thereon, said ears being formed of thin resilient sheet metal andhaving their inner ends cup-shaped, means securing one of said ears to said arm member at a single point adjacent the point of connection of said last-mentioned ear to said leaf spring section and remote from the inner end of said ear whereby the inner portion of said last-mentioned ear is free to move with respect to said arm member during setting of the lens screw, said ears having holes extending through their cup-shaped portions, and a lens screw, said lens screw being adapted to pass through said holes and being threaded into the hole in said arm member, said point of connection between said ear and said arm being the only point of connection between said saddle member and said endpiece.

2. In eyeglass construction, in combination, a lens having a lens hole, an endpiece, said endpiece including an arm portion curving inwardly over the rear face of said lens, a saddle member, said saddle member including a leaf spring section adapted to contact the edge of said lens and a pair of resilient ears formed integrally thereon, one of said ears being positioned between the arm portion of said endpiece and said lens, means connecting said last-mentioned ear to said arm portion adjacent the point of connection of said last-mentioned ear to said leaf spring section and remote from the inner end of said ear whereby the inner portion of said last-mentioned ear is free to move with respect to said arm portion, the inner portions of said arm portion and ears having holes extending therethrough, and a lens screw adapted to pass through said ear and lens holes and thread into the hole in said arm portion, said point of connection between said ear and said arm portion being the only point of connection between said saddle member and said endpiece, whereby, when said screw is set, said ears are free to conform to the curvature of the lens faces.

3. In eyeglass construction, in combination, a lens having a lens hole therein, an endpiece including an arm member extending over one face of said lens and having a threaded hole formed therein adjacent its inner end, a saddle member including a leaf spring section and a pair of resilient ears, one of said ears being positioned between said arm member and said lens, means connecting said last-mentioned ear to said arm member at a single point adjacent the point of connection of said ear to said leaf spring section and remote from the inner end of this ear, said point of connection between said ear and said arm member being the only point of connection between said saddle member and said endpiece, and lens screw means extending through holes in the inner portions of said ears and said lens hole and threaded into the hole in said arm member, whereby the inner portion of the ear connected to said arm member is free to move with respect to said arm member during the setting of the lens screw.

GEORGE E. NERNEY. 

